skyhook n. 3

any of various objects that are fairly high relative to a planet’s surface, as a balloon or an orbiting space platform

  • 1951 N.Y. Times 13 Feb. 1/7

    The balloons, called skyhooks by the Navy researchers, were released at many points in the country.

  • 1959 R. H. Eney Fancyclopedia II 71 Dick Eney bibliography

    Many ‘saucer’ sightings were laid to ‘skyhooks’—high-altitude balloons—airplane lights, bright stars and planets, reflections of all sorts, kites, and odd-looking planes.

  • 1994 Science Fiction Age July 10/3

    Unlike Sheffield’s sky hook…the space fountain does not hang in orbit.

  • 1996 S. Perry Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire 102

    He could have taken the turbolift to the skyhook; most passengers and cargo were moved to the giant orbiting satellites through their tethers to the surface of the Imperial Center; but he had not stayed alive this long by taking foolish chances. Skyhook lifts seldom malfunctioned, but they were vulnerable to attack, from within and without.

Research requirements

antedating 1956
Earliest cite

H. Goodwin 'The Science Book of Space Travel'
Research History
Fred Galvin submitted a cite from a 1956 reprint of Harold Godwin's "The Science Book of Space Travel". We would like to check the 1954 first edition.

We would like cites of any date from other sources.

Last modified 2021-01-24 02:05:48
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.